Donate today to keep Global Voices strong!

Our global community of volunteers work hard every day to bring you the world's underreported stories -- but we can't do it without your help. Support our editors, technology, and advocacy campaigns with a donation to Global Voices!

If you look up at the bright blue sky in El Alto, Bolivia, you may catch a glimpse of a drone flying overhead. This is not any ordinary drone, but a flying aerial device assembled partly out of recycled materials found at one of the city's many bustling outdoor markets. The project, which goes by the name of @DroneBo, is an invention of Alex Chipana [es], and has been receiving the attention of the press for its ability to capture aerial video and for its potential in disaster relief or security monitoring. But it is Chipana's resourcefulness for obtaining parts from everyday items that some choose to discard that makes this drone different than other examples.

Chipana and his team took the drone for a spin on May 1st in La Paz capturing images of May Day celebrations including parades and the festivities taking place in Murillo Plaza.